Osteospermum plant named ‘Sumost 03’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sumost 03’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with orange-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sumost 03’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sumost 03’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Lüdinghausen, Germany. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum cultivars withattractive and unique inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventorin February, 2002 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonisidentified as code number XY4, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identifiedas code number 01-18, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Lüdinghausen, Germany in May, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Lüdinghausen, Germany since June, 2003, hasshown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sumost 03 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sumost 03’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sumost 03’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely and continuous flowering habit.    -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with orange-colored ray florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lüdinghausen, Germany, plantsof the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more freely flowering than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum have smaller inflorescences        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the female parent        selection differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the        female parent selection have soft orange-colored ray florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lüdinghausen, Germany, plantsof the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parent selectionin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more compact than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent        selection have lighter orange-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum cultivar Sumost 02, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,975. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lüdinghausen, Germany,plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivarSumost 02 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more compact than plants        of the cultivar Sumost 02.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum had shorter internodes than        plants of the cultivar Sumost 02.    -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum had smaller inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Sumost 02.    -   4. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the cultivar Sumost 02        differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar        Sumost 02 had soft orange-colored ray florets.    -   5. Plants of the new Osteospermum did not product seeds whereas        plants of the cultivar Sumost 02 produced seeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum. This photograph shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Osteospermum. The photograph comprises a topperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sumost 03’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotograph, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown 10.5-cm containers in Lüdinghausen, Germany during the summer andautumn in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practiceswhich approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 18° C. to 22° C., night averaged 16° C. and light levels rangedfrom 3,000 to 6,000 kilolux. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time andwere about four months old when the photograph and description weretaken.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sumost 03.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number XY4, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 01-18, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 to 20 days at            20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 to 16 days at            16° C. to 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 28 to 30            days at 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 22 to 24            days at 16° C. to 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium thickness, fleshy; 161D in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly            spreading plant habit. Inflorescences positioned above the            foliar plane. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 15 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,            about five to six lateral branches per plant. Length: About            25 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Internode length: About            0.8 cm to 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: 144A to 144B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm to            2.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing            foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing foliage, lower            surface: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A;            venation, 145C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146A            to 146B; venation, 145C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with            obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned above            the foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets            developing acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences face            mostly upright. Freely flowering habit; about 25 to 30            inflorescences develop over time per plant. Inflorescences            not persistent. Inflorescences slightly fragrant, sweet.        -   Flowering response.—In Germany, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower recurrently to continuously from March            to October. Plants begin flowering about 32 to 40 days after            pinching. Inflorescences last about six days on the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm. Diameter:            About 9 mm. Shape: Ovate. Color: N25B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4 cm to 4.5 cm. Depth            (height): About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm.            Receptacle diameter: About 8 mm. Receptacle height: About            5 mm. Receptacle color: 145C.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 2 cm. Width:            About 4 mm. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 26 in a single whorl. Color: When            opening, upper surface: N25B. When opening, lower surface:            N25A. Fully opened, upper surface: N25B to N25C; towards the            base, close to 155D; at the base, N89A; color becoming            closer to N25A with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: N25B to N25C.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number of disc            florets per inflorescence: About 70. Color, immature: Apex:            59B. Mid-section and base: 145C. Color, mature: Apex: 59A.            Mid-section and base: 145C.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length:            About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent, rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm to 7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 145A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: 29A.            Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            color: 59A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 29A.            Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil            length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            N89A. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 155C.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about    40° C.

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Sumost 03’ asillustrated and described.